Marco Jimenez in Mexico City
More than one week after the peak of the H1N1 crisis, terraces, squares and public places in Mexico City are once again packed to capacity.
On Thursday 7 May, the local government announced a gradual return to economic activity and reopening of public places. Just one day later things moved up a gear: all economic activities were authorized, including cinemas, restaurants, bars and public parks.
Massive financial losses
Economic pressure was a key factor behind the urgency to get back to 'normal’. The economic standstill during the week of emergency measures is estimated to have reduced the country’s Gross Domestic Product by 0.5 per cent. Financial projections forecast a shrinking of the Mexican economy by 4.1 per cent this year due to the financial crisis but also, to a large extent, because of H1N1.
In light of this, it is not surprising that the Scientific Committee of Epidemiological and Sanitary Surveillance of Mexico City, which was set up in the first days of the crisis, announced its support to downgrade the alert level with the objective of bringing economic and social activities back to normal.
“The fact that we are returning to normal should not make us forget that the virus has not disappeared. What we have today, is a situation in which the infection is under control” clarifies Marcelo Ebrard, the mayor of Mexico City.
Information campaign by Mexican Red Cross
The situation ‘normalized’, the risk of infection ‘quashed’ – these are the messages being heralded whilst the hygienic measures being implemented remind everyone that the virus is still active. Among other things, public transport is being constantly disinfected throughout the day to prevent infection; the museums have disinfected their collections and there are scanners at the entrances measuring each visitor’s body temperature. In addition schools are being disinfected before students return to classes.
In an information campaign carried out by the government of Mexico City, a combined total of 15 million posters and leaflets were distributed, in addition to the 2.2 million given out by the Mexican Red Cross.